Gunner&#39;s replotting apparatus.



Patented m 2|, 19m.

C L PHILLIPS GUNNEB'S REPLOTTING APPARATUS.

3 Sheets-Shae! (No Model.)

No. 674,5l7. Patented May 2|,1'90l. C. L. PHILLIPS.

eupman's REPLOTTING APPARATUS.

(Application ma Aug. as; 1000.

(N0 nodal.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

No. 674,5l7.

no Model.)

l/Income:

Patented May 2|, L901.

0.1.. PHILLIPS. GUNNER'S REPLOTIING APPARATUS.

(Application Med Aug. 98, 1900.)

3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

R. v W aswe'nroz 8th, L LHOIMHJQ/K L MJA W UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES L. PHILLIP/S, 0F AUBURN, NEW YORK.

GUNNERS nsptor'rme APPARATUS.-

SPECIFIGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 674,517, dated May 21, 1901. Application filed Augnst28,1900. Serial No. 28,301. iNo model- To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, CHARLES L. PmLmPs, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Auburn, in the county of Cayuga and State of New York, (having my present post-ofiice address at Fort Hancock, Sandy Hook, New Jersey,) have invented a Gunners Replotting Apparatus, of which the following is a speciiicatiou, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 illustrates the table of the apparatus, sho'wn n plan, with the protractor-scale in position upon it. Fig. 2 illustrates, likewise in plan, one of my concentric-circle sheets. Fig. 3 illustrates a plan view of the parts in position for operation. Fig. 4 illustrates an edg wise elevation of the apparatus, partly broken away in its medial section.

The object ofmy invention is to provide an inexpensive, quickly-operative, easily-transported, and practical apparatus for determin ing the distance and direction of any object, stationary or movablefor instance, an enemys fort, gun'hoat, or other target-from a given pointas, for instance, the gun which is to be trained upon such objectwhen the direction and distance of both from another given point-41. 6., a rauge-finderare known.

My invention has special application to the service of sea-coast guns in the determination of ranges based upon distance and position data furnished by the observations of a ran gefinder. The operation of a range-finder and the'data furnished by it are too well known to require description here.

As constructed and adjusted for use the apparatus .consists of' a table or board A, (which' may beneficially be substantially semicircular, as shown, although it maybe of any other preferred-form having upon the outer edge of its upper surface a diagonal protractor-scale B, conveniently subdivided and marked, so as to read degrees of are, and an arm C, pivoted at the center of the rotractor-scale, as at D, which is also con ven ently subdivided and numbered along its llducial edge, as at E, from the pivot outward to a point distant from its outer end not less than the width of the protractor-scale, whereby it is adapted to indicate distances according to any determined scale in ,a manner well known. Where the ilduoial edge of the arm crosses the protrnctor-scale, as seen in the drawings, it is suitably subdivided, as at F, to allow the' reading of minutes-of are. The space on the surface of the board or table lying within the protractor-scale is occupied by a series of concentric circles G G G, lac. which are produced upon a separate sheet of paper G or upon equivalent material, as shown in Fig. 2. The circles are spaced'equidistautly and are numbered as may be convenient to read distances, according to the determined scale'frnm the common center of the coucen' tric circles In the illustrationshown (see Fig. 4) the distances indicated commence with 2000 and increase outwardly by steps of five hundred. These figures in the present case indicate lineal yards; but they may indicate any other preferred distance. On the actual .sheets I usually indicate the increments in distance from the center outwardly by other lines indicating one hundred yards, or sometimes fifty yards; but for simplification of the drawings these minor subdivisions have been omitted. The subdivisions may be such as preferred. As thus constructed and adjusted the center of the pivot D represents the position of the range-finder, and the center of the concentric circles indicates the position of the gun. The distance-arm G being placed so that, as determined by the protractor'scale, its fiducial edge has the direction of the target tromthe range-finder, the subdivisions of the arm, reading the distance of the target from the range-finder, will fix the location of the target upon the board or table, and the reading-of the concentric circle,-or that one of its subdivisions which passes through this point, determines the distance or range of the target from the gun. 1 The characteristic feature of this invention consists in this use of a series of concentric circles produced upon a separate sheet or surface and adapted to be superposed and adjusted upon the board ortable carrying the protrnctor-scalein such manner that the foregoing results can be attained.

s To give a clearer understanding of the apparatus, its several parts willbe described somewhat more in detail, as follows:

First. The board or table A may be made of any suitable size, shape,'and material, I prefer that it should besuhstantially semitoo '- circular, as shown, and ordinarily from thre to four feet in diameter.

board or table may to have it in the form of a board or tablet.

Second. The protractor-scale may he made. of metal or other suitable'material, which is fastened in any preferred manner to the surface of the board. It may conveniently be paperor other suitable material and pasted'or otherwise atmerely printed upon a sheet of tached to the surface of the board.

'Third. The sheet of concentric circles, as

2, is preferably a sheet of paper, which may be beneficially made waterv A sheet or plateot metal or any other suitable material upon which the series of be be substituted for the paper. distance arm or indicator, .of metal or other suitable material, pivoted at the center of the protractor-scale and hearing subdivisions and other indicia, as above' described, is preferably provided with a me- H, (see Fig. 3,) adapted to be se-. by screws], to the board for the arm. The plate is not essential, however, these parts in the adustment of the apparatus is as follows: First H to the board A so that the center of the pivot will be at-the cen' 'Next, it the protractor-scale is upon a sheet of paper or other it to the board or table shown in Fig.

proof.

circles and the produced may Fourth. The

distance designations can o" tallic plate curely attached, as A, so as to give firm pivotal connection The assembling of fasten the pivot-plate ter of. the protractor scale.

0 such material attach with glueor otherwise in such manner that its: center is at the point to, be occupied by the center of the pivot. If the protractor it and the plate are usually permanent parts of 'theboargl Inprotractor-a scale be .roducedupon paper or similar maext number the graduationslotthe protractor-scale, which are-uorm'allylett unnumbered, in such manner as best suits the device is. be to say, locate the numerical of-the degreesof are relative to scale is of metal, then deed, this may be .the case it the terial.

conditions under which. th used-that is designations the range-finder as may be necessary owin 5 5 to thepositlou-of thegun and the extent ot its held vot'tire,1s o thatthe-sweepot the arm the distance of the target from e su y table-or board which, as

smimndrhvthesri ptedl o lion andgat thed-istanqe I in F-f;

The size, however, will be determined by the'scale adopted and the maximum distance from the range-tinder 5 to the target, and its shape will bedetermined by that of the protractor-scale.- This he provided with legs, desired; but for convenience of manipulation and transportation it is ordinarily better hinthe-ra g t e. p 'tractopscale. without running, oft the board. *Nextattachthe distance-sump -.Dtto the plate-Handmark'the point .upon the 1 e erm ed a hs numbering 0t thedivisions pt the protractor is o; distances,

by its pivot e and this point will be the position of the gun. nor the sheet of concentric circles G upon the board or table in such manner that the common center of'these circles will be at the point marked as the position of the gun, as last above explained, cutting away and re moving an portions of the concentric-circle sheet that overlap the protractor-s'cale. he device is then ready for use, an illustration of which will be as follows, reference being had to Fig, 3 and tothe dotted lines, &o., produced thereon: Assume that the gun, relative to the range-finder, has the position azimuth m degrees and distance a yards and that the held of fire of the gun lies wholly or in great part uponthe right of the line joining the range-finder and gun. Starting with the'board, protractor-scale, and arm assembled, but with the graduations of the protractor-scale still un n umbered,the conditions above assumed require that'the center of the concentric circles shall be approximately at K, whose azimuth from the range-finder is from the same point is approximately 0. yards. Move the distance-arm until its fiducial edge passes through the point thus approximately determined and number the graduations of the protractor'-scale lying nearest to the fidu cial edge of the arm to read a; (whole) degrees. The other graduations are then numbered the movement of the hands of-a watch. Set th .arm so that the reading of the protractorsca e is the direction in degrees and minutes of the gun from the range-finder and mark upon the board the point'K, which as deter 'mined by the reading of the arm-scale has the distance of thegunffrom the range-finder. This point so marked determines the position of. the common center of the concentric circles, and the sheet bearing these circles is then attached to the board,as'above described.

range-finder has the directiony degrees and distance 9 is atthe point M, Fig. 3; Thedistance, therefore, of this point M or the. range from the gun, as determined by the subdivision (in this case estimated) of the concentric circle passing through or near this point, is eight thousand eight hundred and seventyfive, approximately.

The useof the prptractor-scaie andthe sheet or plate of concentric circles and the fact that the divisions of the; protractorrscale are leftunnumhered render it possible and conni nt s h ssemb n n dii tme to i the parts to adapt'the device to the circumstances of distance and direction obtaining at any desired pointot use.

It w l b i h wha ara amiiist w thins. that. fl s asq. a heires in the detailsotconstructionapdiid ot the partswithout departiugitromthe essentials oi the invention. I therefore-do not imiters?" c d ls.

approximately a: degrees and whose distance from this one increasingly in the direction of ar eries.

Next adjust and fasten in any preferred man- Assume that the target as observed from the Having described my invention, I claim- 1. In a replotting apparatus the combination of a table or board provided with a protractor-scale, a distance-arm pivoted thereto and subdivided according to any suitable scale and adapted to coact with said protractor-scale, and a sheet or plate carrying a series of concentric circles, which is spread upon the table and the center of which is adjustable relative to the center of the pron-actorscale whereby it is adapted to coact with said scale and said arm, for the purposes set forth.

2. For usein conjunction with a protractorscale and distance-arm, a sheet or plate of suitable material carrying a series of concentric circles spaced and numbered'so as to indicate distance in accordance with the scale of the distance-arm, as set forth.

3. A replotting apparatus embodying a board or table, a protractor scalc produced thereon, a distance-arm concentrically pivoted to the board or table relative to the protractor-scale, a sheet or plate of suitable material which is spread upon the table and which is adjustable relative to the center of the protractor-scale and carrying a series of concentricJcircles, said circles being spaced and numbered to coincide with the scale of the said arm, for the purposes set forth.

Signed at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, this Sth day of August, 1900.

CHAS. L. PHILLIPS.

Witnesses:

PHILLIPS ABBOTT, WILLIAM H. SNELLING. 

